"Babes-Bolyai" University of Cluj-Napoca
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science

Semantics of programming languages
Code
Semes-
ter
Hours: C+S+L
Credits
Type
Section
MI055
7
2+0+2
6
optional
Informatică
Teaching Staff in Charge
Lect. MOTOGNA Simona Claudia, Ph.D., motogna@cs.ubbcluj.ro
Aims
- Understand the notion of semantics of a programming language
- Learning about different methods of semantics definition for programming languages
- Know how to find a suitable specification method for a programming language and to apply it.
Content
1. Semantics of a programming language: defintions, basic concepts.
2. Specification criteria.
3. Operational semantics.
4. Denotational semantics.
5. Axiomatic semantics. Axiomatic description of a programming language.
6. Algebraic semantics.
6. What do we need to specify in a programming language?
7. Lambda-calculus: untyped; typed; second-order, polymorphic; specifying programming language semantics through lambda-calculus.
References
1. Bauer F.L. & H.Wossner, Algorithmic language and program development, Springer-Verlag, Berlin,1982.
2. Church A., The Calculi of Lambda-Conversion, Annals of Mathematics Studies, vol.6(1941), Princeton Univ. Press.
3. Giannini P., Longo G., Effectively given domains and lambda-calculus semantics, Information and Control, 62(1984),1,36-63.
4. Guttag, J.V.& J.J.Horning, The algebraic specific. of AD Types, Acta Informatica, 10(1978), 27-52. no.10, pp.576-580, 583.
5. Hoare, C.A.R. and N.Wirth, An axiomatic definition of the programming language Pascal, Acta Informatica, 2(1973), 335-355.
6. Longo G., Set-Theoretical models of Lambda-Calculus: Theories, Expansions, Isomorphisms, Annals of Pure and Applied Logic, 24(1983), 153-188.
7. Odifreddi P., Logic and Computer Science, Academic Press, Ney-York, 1990.
8. Hoare C.A.R., Lauer P., Consistent and Complementary definitions of the semmantics of programming languages, Acta Informatica, 3(1973), 135-153.
Assessment
Students will have to submit periodical assessments and give a final exam.